Sri Lanka has a looming crisis which has been left largely unaddressed at national level and is not getting the focus it should. Over the last few decades Sri Lanka has seen a growth in non-communicable disease (NCD).

This trend is mirrored internationally. Diabetes is significantly on the rise globally. Some reports have indicated that the number of people living with diabetes has more than quadrupled over the past 40 years. This increase is driven by factors like population growth, aging, and rising rates of obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. 

Diabetes prevalence has doubled between 1990 and 2022, rising from 7% to 14% of the adult population, according to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). Recently. The international Diabetes Federation (IDF) predicts that the number of adults with diabetes will rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045. Diabetes increases the risk of other serious health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and leads to issues linked to reduced blood circulation and degeneration of our optical capacities (vision), to name a few.

Earlier this year, senior Physicians at the Nutrition Division of the Ministry Health, warned that complications with food consumption and consumption patterns have contributed to a notable rise of NDC’s amongst Sri Lankan children and youth. Speaking at a press conference held at the Health Promotion Bureau, Dr. Monika Wijerathne from the ministry noted that the risk of children developing NCDs such as diabetes and high blood pressure (HBP) is on the rise. 

“According to data collected during National Nutrition Month of last year (2024), 7% of schoolchildren in grades 1, 4, 7, and 10 are overweight. The Global Health Survey 2024, which examined the eating habits of children aged 13 to 17, revealed that around 3% of them are obese” Dr. Wijerathne said, adding that being overweight is observed in about 12% of children. 

According to Dr. Wijerathne, a recent study on children’s dietary patterns found that 17% had consumed sweetened drinks and related beverages, 28% had consumed salty foods, and approximately 28-29% had consumed high-fat foods during the week prior to the survey. She also noted that alarmingly, 41% of children consumed high-sugar foods. This data clearly shows that the dietary patterns of schoolchildren are not appropriate, she stressed.  Over the last five years, the number of children being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes had also increased to almost 100 children annually, from among those seeking treatment at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH).

With education reforms being discussed and the spotlight on schools and students, both children and young adults, this may be an opportunity for the Government to incorporate the insights and recommendations from health experts and nutritionists to ensure that education reforms also impact the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Yesterday, health experts raised concerns about the high rates of diabetes in Sri Lanka’s Western Province, where one in every five people is affected with the disease, they said. According to a specialist with the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), this is a direct result of excessive sugar consumption. The SLMA noted that non-communicable diseases now account for 80% of all deaths in the country. They stated that on average, a person consumes 25 to 30 kg of sugar per year, while children consume up to 20 teaspoons of sugar daily. Sri Lanka does not produce enough sugar to meet the national demand. As such, the Government ought to look at introducing taxation and regulations of the consumption of sugar, especially among children and youth in order to ensure that Sri Lanka can ‘manage and mitigate’ the coming health crisis.